Thursday, April 29, 2010

No wonder Baptists in the south have such a reputation as being hick, racist, rednecks.

Two Exhibits:

Exhibit #1: It was reported yesterday that Criswell College president Dr. Lamar Cooper referred to Mexicans as "wet-backs" during his Sunday School class broadcast by FBC Dallas on their Sunday morning radio broadcast. While no audio tape has surfaced, First Baptist Dallas and Criswell College have acknowledged the racial slur and issued apologies. As of this writing I know of no apology coming from Cooper. [update: this post first said it was made on his college radio broadcast - subsequent reports now say that the slur was made during his Sunday School class, which is broadcast by FBC Dallas on Sunday mornings between services; the above paragraph has been revised to reflect this. See this article].

Exhibit #2: While we're on the topic of seminary presidents speaking racial slurs against Mexicans, we can't help but reach into the Ergun Caner archives and quote one of Caner's many racial stereotypes that he pulls from his bag of tricks during his traveling show. During a conference in Seattle a few years back, Caner took a swipe at Mexicans (listen to audio clip below):

"The Mexican students [at Liberty] and I get along real well. They're my boys. I always joke with 'em, I say 'Man, if I ever adopt, I want to adopt a Mexican because I need work done on my roof. [uncomfortable laughter], and, and uh, I got a big lawn...so, [nervous laughter]." Ergun Caner, Seattle, WA.

My wife is Hispanic, and she is offended to hear Caner's Hispanic and Mexican stereotypes. I am too.

These are our leaders in our religious educational institutions, and they're speaking derogitorially of Hispanics? And the above reference to adopting Mexican children because they will fix roofs and do yard work is not the only stereotype Caner has used about Hispanics and Mexicans - it is standard fare during the E. Michael Caner traveling show.

One can only wonder if the Southern Baptists will have Caner tell this joke about adopting Mexicans for roof repair and yard work at the Annual Meeting in Orlando, where they will be emphasizing the importance of adoption.

40 comments:

Anonymous
said...

WD-I usually am with you on much your issues, but I do want to support Dr. Cooper on this one. I have known Dr. Cooper for YEARS, I went to Criswell College and beleive him to be a sincere gentleman. I will say that the comment was unwise in it's choice but am willing to give him a pass on two reasons. There is heated debate on the immigration issue here in Texas and Dr. Cooper is from a generation that used such lingo as a prominent description of hispanics.I think you will hear from Dr. Cooper a lot sooner than you will from Caner on anything that you have covered!

Dr. Cooper has already apologized with great remorse for his comment. And it was not on a college-sponsored radio program. It was the weekly broadcast of his Sunday School class at FBC Dallas. And it was not part of the lesson nor was it his banter about the Arizona immigration law. Another speaker had commented on the Arizona law and before Dr. Cooper got up to begin his lesson, he slipped in the racial slur off-handedly. None of those facts change his mistake or his regret. But your "watchdog" status is really questionable when your claims are so rhetorically skewed that you don't bother to find the facts. I'm not anonymous. My name's on the post. Transparency offers at least a tiny bit of ethical accountability.

Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks! What other kind of slurs are being spoken at Criswell? I appreciate the fact that his friends are coming to his defense, but if he cannot control his tongue better than that, does he really need to be in a place of leadership? We all make mistakes and I have made my fair share as well but standing in front of a SS class that is being broadcast on the radio for all to hear and using derogatory slang towards other human beings does raise the eyebrows and I am sure has hurt many many people. This will take some time to heal and as Spurgeon said...Your repentance needs to be as well known as your sin.

We all make mistakes and I have made my fair share as well but standing in front of a SS class that is being broadcast on the radio for all to hear and using derogatory slang towards other human beings does raise the eyebrows and I am sure has hurt many many people. "

It is just as bad to use this insultig language in the privacy of his home. It is what is in the heart that comes out of the mouth.One would think at his age and his long career as a professional Christian, sanctification would be evident, even in the seemingly small things.

I am sick of our leaders who are not leaders at all. Our church janitor is more spiritual than these men.

Regarding Cooper, there really is no excuse for that slip of the tongue but I am proud of the leadership at First Dallas. They have not tried to sugar coat anything. They have openly said it was wrong and apparently Jeffress has responded to all complaints directly with a apology.

Now with all that said, Dr. Cooper's class is the Criswell Class that was taught by Mrs. Criswell for a very long time. FBD has been looking for a way to pull them from the Sunday Morning lineup for years and now they have.

Now with all that said, Dr. Cooper's class is the Criswell Class that was taught by Mrs. Criswell for a very long time. FBD has been looking for a way to pull them from the Sunday Morning lineup for years and now they have.

April 30, 2010 11:19 AM

You mean the MIXED gender class Mrs Criswell taught for years and it was on the radio? She was teaching men! Big sin in the SBC. Unless you are one of the anointed ones. (meaning celebrity)

"Dr Cooper is from a generation that usee this kind of slur?" That's the bess excuse you can give me Anon. 9:54? Are you kidding me! So, if I was raised in a racist home then it is okay for me to slander whole groups of people? I appreciate that he has apologized, now he needs to resign!

These preachers are running wild across the USA! Jinwright in Charlotte NC is off the charts! Check it all out at www.qcitymetro.com to get the latest...he will soon be wearing orange and have a real prison ministry!

"[Mike] Deahl said Cooper would deliver a personal apology during next Sunday's class, which church officials say won't be broadcast."

"Officials at First Baptist Church of Dallas are apologizing"

If the faux pas was public, should not the apology also be public? It is not enough for the church to issue statements of apology. Dr. Cooper needs to apologize as publicly as he misspoke.

"Grable said the church has indefinitely suspended the Sunday school broadcast and will likely replace it with another worship service."

That would make sense since I understand the schedule of services is about to change. No more 8:00 am service in the auditorium or 9:30 am service in the Center Stage. Services in the auditorium at 9:30 (blended) & 10:50 (contemporary). Robert would want the 9:30 service on, not Sunday school.

The term Wetback is just a reference to the illegals that swim across. Back before everything was PC I had a construction company and the legal Mexicans would go and bring in what they called Wetbacks. The Wetbacks referred to themselves as Wetbacks and still do. This is not the "N" word for goodness sake. Should not have been said and he did need to apologize but resign, give me a break.

So, is anyone here wondering how this has taken Jeffress off step, as this is supposed to be the leadup to his big commitment reveal this Sunday.

I can just see the news reports for Sunday night: First Baptist had their much anticipated commitment Sunday this morning and had $________ million committed today. Just last week the interim president of the school the church owns in a Sunday School class broadcast last week from the church made a racial slur regarding hispanics.

Oh the wheels of justice may grind slow, but it is sometimes entertaining to watch them grind. What timing God has!

WAA...mean ol' Dr. Cooper called me a name...GROW UP! We have turned into such a PC culture that if I sneeze on you, I'll get sued! Sure, he misspoke...have you? Our VP used a 4 letter word that he whispered in the President's ear and NO BIG DEAL! Is this Blog run by a bunch of soft, sensitive, emotionally insecure liberals? Do a story on my Grandma...she just called me a "cracker".

Let a conservative white man or woman in authority say something that offends someones sensitive little feelings and you would think the sky is falling. What is worse is the other so called conservatives piling on and demanding his apology and or resignation. You people make me want to puke. In the name of your deity, grow some male organs!

Let a conservative white man or woman in authority say something that offends someones sensitive little feelings and you would think the sky is falling. What is worse is the other so called conservatives piling on and demanding his apology and or resignation. You people make me want to puke. In the name of your deity, grow some male organs!

Unfortunately the two last comments I hear all the time and that too is racist and bigoted. "Let a white man or woman..." That is a bigoted statement. All people of all nationalities need to be treated with dignity. They are men, women, children, Chinese, German(whatever their nationality) and they do not need to be called derogatory names, especially by Christians who supposedly had their hearts changed by Christ to love others.

To apologize in Sunday School when it was done on a radio broadcast is a far cry from a proper apology.

Sometimes one has to be absurd to make a point. That was the point of "white Trash". Nasty, huh?

That is why there is no place for "wetbacks". It is not being politically correct to be appalled at that coming out of a long time Christian leader's mouth. It is simply a lack of charity, dignity and respect for a fellow human created in God's Image.

The excuses made for Cooper only prove to me how shallow and lost most of the SBC really is. I had my suspicions but the defenders of so much evil, lying, crassness in the SBC really proves how deep the problems are. The "Christians" in the SBC follow men. Not Christ. Or they would know better.

Your title says the term was applied to "Mexicans," which is blatantly false. It was applied to illegal border crossers, and is specifically a reference to that activity. The term becomes a slur when used as a denigration of Hispanic people who are not here unlawfully--that wasn't the case. It was a poor word choice but hardly worthy of the PC overreaction it has created. Self-righteousness is as bad an infection as bigotry; both partake of the same lack of attention to the beam and mote.

Your title says the term was applied to "Mexicans," which is blatantly false. It was applied to illegal border crossers, and is specifically a reference to that activity. The term becomes a slur when used as a denigration of Hispanic people who are not here unlawfully--that wasn't the case. It was a poor word choice but hardly worthy of the PC overreaction it has created. Self-righteousness is as bad an infection as bigotry; both partake of the same lack of attention to the beam and mote.

May 2, 2010 8:43 AM

So illegal border crossers are not also made in the image of God?

Why would a long time Christian leader feel comfortable using that language even in private? Because that is what is in his heart. It is not a matter of PC..it is a matter of JC in his heart or not.

So, are all the young Criswell students now thinking wetback is fine used in private. Perhaps around their young children? Whatever are you folks thinking over there atFBCDallas? Are your hearts really that hardened and political?

Yes, First Baptist has been trying to get the Criswell Class off the air for a long time, and I'm frankly glad it has finally happened. Even though she has been dead for years, it is still conducted just the way she did things. It should have been called "The Church of Mrs. Criswell." It should now be renamed and we should move on. It's time to stop worshipping the Criswells.

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We're small, insignificant, and harmless. But we have a loud, piercing bark that seems to annoy those in mega churches the most. Not Kool-Aid drinkers, only fresh, filtered water, please; with Grape or Cherry flavoring from Walmart. "Let him alone; God hath bidden him to speak:"